


Carriers

by kunehonim



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2019-03-30 09:36:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13948812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kunehonim/pseuds/kunehonim
Summary: The female population had been wiped out. Thus, they dubbed it as the judgement day.Rumors spread like wildfire. There was still hope.He thinks it's sick.





	Carriers

**_case #1_ **

* * *

* * *

 

It hasn't even been a week since everything got cut off between them. It hasn't been a week since they woke up in the same bed, under the same blanket.

Sehun was the one that kicked him out. Not even considering the fact that he may be sore or completely worn out by their previous activities.

And Luhan being the one that's used to being pushed away, scurried off without even trying to fight for himself. He left, hair tossed everywhere, marks that could have been considered love bites if not for the harsh treatment-- He was forced to leave. Without glancing at the male that wanted him gone, he got dressed and walked out of the door.

 

Luhan was kicked out. Just like that.

 

. . .

 

Sehun hasn't seen Luhan since that time. Not that he cared-- He was... Curious. Yes. That's the word. Sehun was curious because he hasn't seen even the mere shadow of the smaller boy ever since. It didn't disturb him. Okay, maybe it did, but just a tinge bit. Sehun would unconsciously go paranoid though, mentally accusing Luhan that this was a way to get him to be noticed.

Sehun wasn't ready with what transpired that night. He had a bad day. He was frustrated-- And he needed something to vent it out on. Luhan happened to be there, and with the younger boy literally throwing himself to him when he didn't have the self-control, there was nothing stopping him.

He was too drunk to think-- too irrational because he just wanted the anger out of his system. And he did that by releasing it out on Luhan.

 

Like any other story, Luhan is someone Sehun grew up with. Not in the certainty that they were born almost the same time and were raised in the same environment-- Rather, Sehun was forced to look out for the younger boy. Luhan is younger than him for 2 years, he was given that responsibility because they lived next to each other. Because they were the only sons in the family. 

Sehun was happy every time he was able to get the smaller boy out of his hands then-- He was... A burden. He was a burden for a young boy like Sehun-- Because he was the reason why he had to stop everything he'd planned to do on certain days. He was the reason why his own parents were uptight with him. Like he existed to take care of Luhan-- That boy grew to be his headache, and days when he would return the boy to his own home, back into his parents' arms was the best thing that he looked forward to after 'babysitting' hours. But that doesn't really stop there.

When an outbreak happened, targetting all the women in the globe, everyone thought that the judgement day had come. More than half of the women in the country died from a disastrous illness. Luhan's mother was among them, while Sehun's mother was still struggling to continue breathing. Luhan became priority. His father followed his mother's death making him an orphan and he was taken in by Sehun's father. Despite so, it appeared that Luhan has seen through him how he wasn't welcomed by Sehun at all. Luhan insisted he lived next door, in the same house.

The sickness was vicious, the news said. It would start at the cycle of the women-- And it wouldn't cease. The bleeding was said to never stop until their own bodies would give up on themselves, and they would be bed-ridden to await the day they breathe their last breath. It was a sickness that just came out of nowhere, so they dubbed it as the end of mankind-- There was no more way for reproduction. Nothing to continue the human race.

 

That case had died for years. It happened six years ago. And sad to say, the prediction was true. His mother too died, breathed her last barely a year since the start of the outbreak. The only survivors were men. Male. Every one of them. 

No one had the heart to live anymore-- There was no more chance. They were going to be wiped out clean, they will all die and nothing was going to stop that.

The thought was almost permanent to men, until words of the tongue spread like wildfire-- That the government had funded a research. A research that could continue the race. That there was a chance.

 

Sehun thought it was sick.

 

. . .

 

Someone approached him a few days back, under the snow while he was on his way to the library. The male simply came up to him and started asking him if he'd lost his family to the outbreak too-- Luhan found himself waking up at the back of a building. There were patterened holes by his shoulder, as if something was injected into him. He recalled the only thing he could, and that was an angelic face of a stranger, and a gentle pat on his forehead... He shivered under the piling ice around him-- Not from the cold but from the unknown. Luhan knew something happened, but he didn't know what exactly. It was a scary experience. It was scary that he'd never disclosed it to anyone-- Since there was no one to disclose it to anyways. All he could do then, was to run to Sehun. The only person he knew that could ease his confusion. But all he got from the older after a passionate night was a harsh push out of the bed, out of the room and out of the house. Clearly, Sehun wanted nothing to do with him.

 

Luhan skipped classes then. He didn't want to be under anyone's sight anymore. He was losing hope like 75% of the world did, and he'd somehow wished that he was the one that died during the outbreak instead. Maybe that could have helped a lot. A whole lot.

It was around that time when he was approached by someone he deemed familiar. He was too familiar in Luhan's mind that he was scared out of his wits-- The only familiar people to him were Sehun, Sehun's father... And-- The person that did that to him.

"Where are you going, Luhan?" He'd heard from behind him. His voice was very soothing, as much as he begged to differ-- He sounded motherly. Like he didn't do anything wrong to Luhan at all. 

Blinking as fast as the rapid beating of his heart, Luhan didn't dare turn around to look at that face. "I-- Home."

"Home?" The male cut in, "I am your home."

Shaking his head hesitatingly, Luhan let out a small scoff, "N-no you're not. I-I don't even know you, I--" And what left him next got him baffled. He felt something churning in his stomach-- And it ached painfully that he wasn't able to keep himself standing still. Luhan fell right to his side on the snow, grunting, and was soon sweating like a faucet. He could hear the crunching of the feet behind him. Approaching him fast. His eyes turned half-lidded as the pain continued to drown him. And then the same face he vividly remembered that time when he was on his way to the library came to view.

"You'll be alright, Luhan."

_No I won't._

 

 

"Has anyone come looking for him?"

"No. No one."

"That's good."

Luhan could hear two voices at the side, talking. He doesn't quite recall what's happened to him but the pain was still there. It was sitting at the lower part of his belly and he doesn't know why but he found himself disabled from moving the lower part of his body. He felt his heartbeat pick up again, panic rising.

Not a few seconds after, a hand came holding onto him, pressing him. Luhan pressed his hand back-- he knew that it was meant for him to tell them that he was conscious, "Luhan, you're finally awake. We've got you-- Don't be scared."

He slowly willed himself to see, feeling the unshed tears at the corner of his eyes as he was met by the ceiling of his own house. He wanted to ask how they got in-- but the important question to ask at that moment was what was happening to him...?

He slowly turned his head, looking at the two men that were filled with concern. "Who are you? What have you done to me?" his voice was trembling, and he had nothing to hide. He was scared out of his wits because there were two strangers in his own home. In his only home.

"Shh..." The male holding onto his hand hushed him but he shook his head,

"W-what have you done--" he gasps. Gasps in pain as he feels the male's other hand pressing against his belly.

There was nothing but the sounds of his whimpers until the male closest to his side asked him on a serious note, "Answer me honestly, Luhan. Did you do it with anyone?" and he blinked fast, unable to comprehend, "Sex. Did you have sex?" Taken aback, he looks away and it was enough to give them a yes. Luhan had never thought that he would live the day to hear those words being uttered to him-- A male, "You're pregnant."

Luhan found himself inwardly shivering as his eyes turned to snowglobes. There was something that told him to question, reject and run. It was horror. This is horror-- terrifying. "What are you talking about?" He asked as fast as he could after looking back at the stranger that uttered the word.

Without a proper answer to be offered, he feels his sleeve being adjusted and his shoulder being displayed to him along with the permanent marks of the injection he received not too long ago from the same man, "You're pregnant, Luhan... Your genes reacted to the formula."

"F-formula...?" Luhan asked, his lips trembling as he recalled the day when they'd attacked him. It all sank into him then-- How he'd become nauseous. The news about a funded research that he encountered once across the street-- It all fits.

 

"You experimented on me?!" He shrieks as he stared down at the mark that he remembered tracing often. Luhan reduced into a crying fit-- He's pregnant. He's pregnant and Sehun... Sehun's the-- "No. No, what have you done to me?!"

"Luhan, please calm down!"

"What have you done to me!?" He cries out, cocooning himself into the pain. The emotional pain that the revelation has brought him.

 

 

The male that had held his hand throughout his inner panic introduced himself as Junmyeon. He's head of the research, and his partner, Yixing was from a research center in China. Junmyeon had told him-- Explained to him everything. That he was needed.  _They_  were needed. It was a research that was being funded by the governments from all across the globe-- And that they had to look for suitable test subjects. What they injected into Luhan had no guarantees of working at all, of a result. They never expected the prototype to take effect and it was then that they found out-- That the formula doesn't simply work with anyone. It works with the genes-- That it has to match that one person who is meant to bear a child.

Luhan decided then to simply give them his life. He handed it to them and trusted them without doubts. Why not? After all, he had nowhere to go to anymore. No one would come looking for him. Maybe at least here he could be of some use-- He could be of help.

 

It's been days after they'd lodged into his house. He didn't believe it at first, and he still didn't want to. Things were happening too fast for him and it caught him off-guard most of the time. One minute, Luhan was lying in bed, sleeping heavily that even if a construction were to happen beside him, it wouldn't wake him up, and the next, he would be stuck in the comfort room, his palms flat out at the tiled floor as he supported himself while threw up all of the food that he consumed in the day.

Luhan felt the changes within himself, and despite not wanting to believe it, there was something-- someone growing inside him. Luhan's hand unknowingly snaked its way to his slightly hardening belly.

Should he work hard for his... Child?

There was a feeling spreading through his system-- Luhan asked himself if this was the motherly instincts that women would talk about back in the day. He felt like he had to protect whatever it was that was growing there inside him. He had to take care of  _them._

Luhan was slowly welcoming the foreign feeling, but he had to admit it to himself that he was still in fear. What was going to change? His body already did-- What was he going to face? He was worried. People will see him as a monster-- He will be labeled as a freak. Luhan was scared of all the thoughts that came to him one by one. Only until he felt arms on his shoulders did he realize that he was hugging himself, almost as if he was telling himself that he was going to be safe. But he knew he wasn't going to be.

"Luhan." Junmyeon came to hoist him up, "It's going to be okay."

He shook his head fast, denying the hope that was creeping into his heart, "It's not. Believe me, it's not. I'm not going to make it through this, Junmyeon. I can't do this alone--"

"Then what about the father?"

"Father--"

"Of the child. Luhan, the baby inside you happened not only because of you."

He looked away, self-pity growing and growing. "He'll never know. You're not going to look for him, Junmyeon."

"Lu--"

"Please." he says, voice trembling-- because among anything else, he wouldn't want to disrupt Sehun's peace. Not anymore, "Please. I'm begging you."

"Your body is weak, Luhan. You need someone to take care of you."

"I can take care of myself."

"You can't. We're not leaving you here on your own, Luhan. This is barely an environment for an eighteen year old like you, very much so that you're a pregnant person."

_Pregnant. Luhan asks himself if he was ever going to get used to that word._

"You're pregnant, Luhan and you won't be able to deny that in a few months' time. You're going to show and you won't be able to move on your own." Junmyeon insists. Luhan doesn't remember how he's seen this person in front of him as a monster in the beginning. He's been anything but. He cared for him almost like family and he watched over him. Was Junmyeon really right? Is he really Luhan's home? Luhan is torn out of his inner thoughts as he hears a dragging sigh out of the male in front of him. He feels the porcelain-skinned male's hands to the nape of his neck as he is asked the question that he knew would change his life, "Why won't you come live with us? Let us take care of you... We won't be able to think properly knowing you're all alone like this. Won't you at least take us up on this offer?"

Nodding was the easiest way out of this wormhole. So Luhan did.

 

. . .

 

The last time he's ever seen Luhan was the day he kicked him out. It's been roughly two months-- entering the third month now. Sehun had been worried, it seems. He's asked his father a few times if he saw Luhan but all he got from the older male was a shaking of the head.

Sehun had tried to knock onto Luhan's door a few times, but they were only tries, not once coming to materialize with a solid knock at the wooden door at all. It was then that he was able to think about the significance of Luhan's presence around him. So far he was able to see that there really was a huge difference when he was alone and when the younger boy was around. With the age gap that pulled them apart from one another, Sehun had tried to figure out on how Luhan actually managed to spend time with him every single day. He knew Luhan didn't need him anymore. He was old enough to take care of himself, so why  was the boy keeping up and continued to bother him?

Times when Luhan was absent, Sehun found himself thinking about him more. He was thinking about Luhan, smiling to himself also came when he would remember the self-ridiculed expression of the boy. 

Sehun never denied the fact that he thought of the younger as a burden to him. But that never meant that he stayed on the negatives. Luhan was life in their home. After the death of his mother, they'd seen him as someone that was able to lift their spirits up. That one night when he and his father stayed up ended with Luhan as a subject really, and that was what got him cautious over the younger boy.

Sehun's father actually wished that if he ever found a wife-- To make sure that she was very much like Luhan.

 

Ridiculous.

 

 

Sehun had graduated from University. With flying colors-- if he may add. He was a twenty-one year old man that was ready for a job and a family-- Supposedly. He was already told that he was going to work for the family's company. His father was going to introduce him as the Director. And on that same day was the very first time he'd actually seen the door to Luhan's home open. Sehun had to hide himself back inside, watch through the window.

He saw Luhan being assisted out. Weird. Didn't Luhan have no other friends?

A black car came right in front and he watched as the younger boy was helped into the vehicle. Sehun was puzzled. Moving to the side to get a better view, he pulled the curtains to the side and saw how the trunk was being loaded with... Stuff. Luhan's things.

A big gulp had him nervous. Where the hell is Luhan going? 

He was lost in a trance. Sehun only came to realize that that was probably the last time he was going to see Luhan. The car drove away, with the male that helped him into the vehicle still standing outside. Sehun wasted no time. Pulling his necktie loose and leaving his briefcase by the porch, he headed outside and called out to the man.

"Hey!" He was met by a curious face. Looking up at him as if he didn't just send Luhan away. "Who are you? Where did you send Luhan to?" The male blinked up at him, not catching his question. "I asked who you are."

"You must be the  _father_."

Sehun was taken aback. An eyebrow raised up, he looked at the rather amused stranger. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Let's just put it this way, Mister...?"

"S-Sehun."

"Luhan's living with me. For the time being. I'm not telling you the details, because there are precautions that we have to... Take."

"I don't understand." He huffed, licking his upper lip as he gave the male a stare.

"You don't have to understand." The male tells him.

"You said I'm the  _father_? What are you referring to?" He quickly brought it up again. What does this man mean?

A smile crept out of the stranger and ever so slowly, he shook his head as he looked down to his feet. Sehun didn't know what he had to feel while he stood there dumb-founded. A few moments later on, a van came driving in, and he was handed a calling card.  _Seoul International Research Facility, Kim Junmyeon, Head Researcher._

"Ask yourself again if you really want to know what I meant by it.  _Then_  call give me a call." 

Sehun raised his head just in time from the card to find the male mounting the vehicle. With a tight smile on the latter's features, Sehun received a small wave, "Let's hope this won't be the last time we meet, Sehun."

 

. . . 

 

Three months easily passed by. Sehun was living life normally. But there was a hole gaping inside him that worried for the boy that used to have his hands full all the time. The months did pass by easily but to Sehun, he had to realize the hard way that he shouldn't have taken advantage of Luhan. For the days that came and went, it was his father who started bombarding him with the questions that he once asked him. 

Where is Luhan? How is he? Is he doing alright? Have you seen Luhan?

All these questions piled up until Sehun remembered that one conversation he'd had with the stranger that took Luhan away. He realizes that he had the chance to see him again. But... Will he?

The answer was drowned by the ringing of the dial tone in his ears. He'd unconsciously pressed his finger onto the number 7 that is the number of the card that was months ago given to him by a man he vividly remembered was a researcher.

_"Hello?"_

"It's me. Sehun."

 _"Took you long enough, Mr. Oh."_ He blinked, the way the latter addressed him was too...  _"Long enough for me to run a background check on you."_  

A tight line fell into his lips, disabled from giving a comeback. He knows that the male's words were something along the line of the boy he took away from him.  _Took away from him. He would have scoffed by the way he said that._

"Where's Luhan?"

 _"Luhan?"_  The male repeated, ignorance hanging on his tongue,

"Don't make me repeat myself. You told me to call you when I was ready."

 _"I told you to call me..."_ The man paused, and he could hear muffled voices in the line as if the speaker had been blocked. 

"Hello?"

_"I told you to call me if you wanted to know what I meant about the word Father."_

"I do."  _I don't._  "And that includes seeing Luhan." _I just need take him away from you._

_"We'll see if I can... Let you. Meet me at the address that I'll be sending to you, Mr. Sehun."_

There wasn't even time for him to answer back when the dead tone whacked at his ear.

 

 

Sehun kept to his words. Upon the sun sinking to take its rest, he'd made up a very intelligent lie to his father that he was going out to meet a few friends and may not come back until a few days. He'd reserved the week in case he were able to convince the stranger to let him see Luhan. He had to. He was uncomfortable choking through the days that passed-- Not caring whether it was guilt or genuine concern for the boy. He was itching under his skin to know if he was alright.

Driving down to the underground parking lot, Sehun doesn't ignore the Welcome sign into the condominium. A personal condominium, it seemed. But it didn't fail to scream elegance.

Taking a free slot for parking, Sehun turned the key to kill off the engine. He was about to pick up his phone to tell the man that he'd arrived at the place he directed him to, but he was beaten to it when a soft knock by his window was made. Sehun thanked himself for not being too jumpy.

He turned to face a blonde man. Porcelain skin and wearing a very... Homey attire. Sehun inwardly asks if this is where this person is residing.  _Great, it'll be easy for me to find Luhan._

Stepping out of the vehicle, Sehun fixes himself and relaxes his shoulders, letting all the tension leave him. It took him three nerve-wrecking months to decide on this. On looking for Luhan.

 

Before he could think logically of the reasons why he actually came out here for the boy, Sehun was yet again cut off by the man. He finds the stranger extending a hand to him very much like he did the first time they met.  "Kim Junmyeon." he introduced himself.  _Well he did forget his name._

Inwardly thankful for the reminder, Sehun takes his hand for a shake  _despite him not really wanting to._  "Oh Sehun."

"Do I explain this to you, or do I get to the point?"

Sehun twitches an eye, "What do you mean?"

Just then, the door rings and he hears children laughing-- Two small kids laughing and at tow was another man slightly taller than the one in front of him. He had an innocent expression, simply walking towards them.

"Daddy!" one of the kids ran towards them, arms stretched out wide.

Sehun without anything to say watched as the blonde before him knelt and caught the kid, carrying him into his arms while the other male approached them. With a smile, the male that just came in gave him a small peck on the cheeks.  _Couples. Not that they're hard to come by._

Junmyeon seemed to have been in a trance, but quickly got back to him with a startled gasp-- As if his presence had long been forgotten, "I'm sorry." he quickly uttered and Sehun could sense the honesty in it. He nods simply dismissing the awkward event but nevertheless, was introduced to the three people that had come to join them.

"Yixing, this is Sehun." in courtesy, Sehun extends a hand to greet him. The black-haired male gives him a smile, his dimple showing. Sehun returns the gesture. "Sehun, this is Yixing. My husband."

"It's nice to know you."

"As well."

"Daddy, daddy!" One of the kids slightly tall upto their thighs came tugging at Junmyeon, "Daddy, Yijun was left with him."  _Him. Him-- Luhan._  Sehun thought. His eyes brushed towards Junmyeon just in time to find the male looking at him as well. It was a confirmation.

"Can I see him?" he quickly asks, in a hurry. He wanted to see Luhan.

A small nod from Junmyeon, "Sure, but..." the male knelt before him another time, "let me introduce you to my children." The boy that kept talking was turned towards him, and he could quickly see the resemblance of the blonde, "This is my second son, Xingyi. And this," Junmyeon pulled the one that's been hiding behind the other male, "his name is Junyi. He's a twin. The other one is upstairs."

Sehun knelt as well, taking the small hands of the boys as he smiled at them, "Hello there."

"They're my sons." Sehun nods in understanding, but the way Junmyeon stared at him cautiously told him there was something else into the introduction, " _Our_ sons." his nodding went slower as the stress on the word  _Our_  came up to clarify it for him. His eyes went to the other male standing just beside the one he's talking to, and not anymore second later, Junmyeon is holding onto his... Spouse, and Sehun then comes down to reality, "We're expecting a daughter soon."

He felt every muscle on his face harden, "C-congratulations."

"Thank you." Yixing answers and he relaxes again.

Junmyeon quietly ushered his family out of the parking lot. Sehun was growing impatient. He had to see Luhan. "Where is he?"

"Luhan? Why are you in a hurry to see him, Sehun?"

He groans in response. "Aren't you going to ask why I told you about my husband's... pregnancy?"

"Why would I?"

"Connect the dots, Mister Oh."

 

 _Pregnant... Children... Luhan... Father--_  Sehun ever so slowly looked up at the man standing in front of him. What-- "Think about it again. If you're really here for the right reasons. You know what this means, Mr. Sehun." But what if he doesn't? What if this is all a joke?

"You're joking, right?" He asks again, and he knew that the researcher didn't miss the fear that tailed at the end of his tone.

"I'm head of the research center that the Government has funded, as I've handed you my card Mr. Oh. I'm pretty sure that just by looking at you, you've been very updated with the current... Events.  That alone tells you that there isn't one pinch of humor in this... Situation that we're in-- That Luhan is in."

Junmyeon started walking and Sehun was left confused-- Was he going to follow him? "Where are you going?"

"Up to my home?" Junmyeon tells him, "Follow or drive away, it's your decision. Luhan doesn't know you're here anyway."

 

Just the mere mention of Luhan's name got his legs working on their own. Sehun allowed his body to take over, and as quick as his mind stopped processing, he made sure to stay closely behind the blonde male. He was led into an elevator that only had one button for its destination.

Sehun was presented a cozy home. Junmyeon didn't say a word to him, just letting him in and leading him further into the house. He'd heard the kids laughing then, and as they reached a hallway, the researcher stopped at his tracks causing him to do the same.

"Can you atleast... Tell me that you care for Luhan?" The question caught him off-guard.  _Does he?_

Seconds passed and the question died along with the silence. There was a wave of concern coming from the latter and he could see that Luhan staying there with them wasn't easy--  _They probably had their hands full with him too. He's such a spoiled brat._

Junmyeon pushed the wall slightly, and there a secret passage was opened. It was a window to a room-- And it appeared to be... Luhan's room? Sehun looked at the male confused-- And somewhat shocked. Why did they have this kind of observatory for Luhan? He's not some animal!

"If you've given me a yes, I could have given him to you right then. But you're obviously wavering." Dead-on. Sehun doesn't have anything to say to that, "but that child isn't only his. At the very least, please acknowledge that, Sehun." Yet he only gulps down to his throat-- not a word of response coming out of him.

Sehun could see a few toys scattered around the carpeted room. At the side was what appeared to be a very comfortable bed. Luhan's back was facing them then. And he leaned onto the glass-- He wondered if Luhan would see him.

"He didn't want to let you know." Junmyeon started, "at first he was very negative about the whole ordeal-- About the pregnancy. He wasn't updated with the news it seemed-- He was oblivious to the knowledge about the research... I'm going to tell you right now that it isn't his fault that he's in this situation and telling you as well that I'm very aware that more than half of the population is against the idea of this-- this 'monstrousity'." He spat on the word with pure hatred, "There's a very big chance that you too are against  _this_  pregnancy, Mr. Oh. As I've said, I ran a background check on you.

But Luhan-- Luhan's just a child. You know that, I'm quite aware that you do. It was all our fault that we'd injected him-- an eighteen year old kid-- with the formula. We weren't sure that it was going to be compatible with his genes."

"Injected...?" Sehun repeated, the only word caught his attention.

The blonde nodded at him, "I'm guessing that he never told you that he was attacked then-- By us."

Sehun's face crumpled at the revelation-- It was true. He's never heard about it. "We approached him a few weeks after, and that was when we saw how his body made changes to acommodate his child. Luhan got pregnant and he freaked out because he found out that we'd experimented on him. He didn't want to do anything about it at first-- But we told him that if he had nowhere else to go, he could stay with us. He wasn't so reluctant to the idea after that...

I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Oh. Luhan would talk about you-- Or at most, I would overhear him talking to his child-- About you. I just couldn't help but think why he never wanted to let you know of this. Clearly he feels something for you, don't you think?"

Sehun wondered as well. Sehun wondered as well--

 

Turning his head back to the one-way mirror, Sehun stopped at his breath to find changes within the boy. Luhan's got weight on him-- His honey-brown hair tossled beautifully on his head. Sehun didn't know what it was that came onto him that even the bulging belly of the young boy got his heart racing. It was as if there was a wave that told him that he had to treat Luhan better.

"C-can't I talk to him?" He asks with a gulp.

"I'm afraid so. I don't want to shock him and put him into labor. If that happened, he'd be three months early to giving birth."

_Giving birth._

"But I want to talk to him."

"You can, but not now-- He's still unstable."

His head snaps towards the latter, "What do you mean unstable?"

"Cravings. His reaction to cravings-- they're worse than when he would throw up. He goes berserk when we give him the wrong things. We don't want to trigger anything-- And with Luhan being completely off-balance, we couldn't get him to say anything. To tell us what it really was that he wanted."

"I've known him since he was a kid. I can figure that out for you, Junmyeon."

"Sehun--"

"Let me stay. I'll help you if you let me, this won't hurt him--. Please."  _Please._

With a raised brow, Junmyeon looked at him-- judged him, "You didn't want them earlier, Sehun."

"I didn't say anything like that." Sehun scoffed, licking his upper lip, "I just left the question hanging in the air."

The male crossed his arms to his chest and let out a deep breath before asking him one more time, "... Do you mean to say that you want to take care of him?"

"I've already missed so much."

 

To say that Sehun practically got a room in the researcher's house and was quickly welcomed by the pair was very... Unlikely. But it happened anyways.

They hadn't told Luhan a thing about it. About Sehun coming and looking for him. The older didn't know how to make an appearance either-- for fear that Luhan would react differently towards him.

Only when the eighteen year old was at his most vulnerable state did they finally open the door for Sehun. He walked in, with careful steps as if he were on thin ice. He approached Luhan for the first time in six months. The little boy was seated on the carpeted floor sobbing quietly for reasons that the Kims couldn't figure out, so Sehun volunteered to see why the pregnant boy was acting like that.

He had the back of his hand to his eyes, wiping his tears yet he continued to sob. He could hear him murmuring something, and when he came into hearing range, he could vividly hear Luhan calling his name.

_"Se... Sehun.. Seh... hun..."_

"Luhan...?" He called the little boy as soon as he deemed it was a comfortable distance.

The sobbing stopped, and very slowly he looked up at him. Luhan's eyes were enough to compare to marbles when their gazes connected. The younger's cheeks were all puffed from crying, eyes swollen from all the obvious rubbing that he'd been doing to stop the tears from coming down. It took a split moment before the honey-haired boy bursted out in tears even more. Sehun's first instinct was to get out to let him calm down but then Luhan called his name again-- clearer this time.

"Sehun!" And he sniffed loudly while he raised his arms as if he were back to being the little boy that he was, "Sehun!" Luhan cried out again.

It didn't take him another second to walk towards the younger, kneeling to him as he allowed Luhan to envelope his fragile arms around him. He took in the way he called for him... As if he was the only one that Luhan has.  _He is the only one that Luhan has. There's only him._

Luhan continued to cry, letting out whimpers and calling his name over and over again as if the boy had settle onto the thought that he was nothing but a conjured figure. When the sobs were over, Sehun removed the boy from his hold and got a good look at him. He looked so worn out... This pregnancy thing is taking a toll on him. He's too young for this. Sehun doesn't know why but seeing Luhan this weak all of a sudden has something inside him aching. He doesn't like this... This image on the boy. He'd always been so bubbly and active.

Luhan had fallen asleep it seemed, and he didn't do anything else other than to carry him carefully and place him in bed. He tucked the younger boy into his blanket and when he was done wiping the dried tracks of tears from Luhan's cheeks, he instinctively leaned down to place a gentle kiss onto his forehead. Sehun pauses and stares at Luhan. 

Sighing, he gets up to pick up some of the plush toys scattered around the bedroom. It looked more like a nursery than a bedroom actually. Sehun picks up a deer stuffed toy, all worn out and dirty. Luhan had been putting up with everything on his own up until now. And he didn't even know that he'd been harmed and experimented on. He felt bad-- He felt bad, but deep inside there was something that was telling him. Telling not only himself but also the sleeping male that he was here now. He's going to make it better.

 

. . .

 

The morning he awoke, Sehun had made sure to hide from Luhan. He'd quickly gotten into a very mutual agreement with the researcher that he was planning to take Luhan back with him along with their child once he or she is born. Sehun knew that the blonde was concerned about how he made it sound like he was only there to fulfill his side of the responsibility-- Well, for now that's where he really stood. He was still looking out for Luhan because he  _is_  his responsibility.

Sehun started the day by hiding at the secret room that he was led to last night. The observatory where he watched Luhan go about on things. It was then when he noticed how Luhan's movements were different from when he were a kid. Sehun thinks that he never really saw Luhan as a grown boy since he's been the one taking care of him from the very beginning. Maybe he was stuck on the image of Luhan being the same little boy that he used to be back then? Yes. Sehun thinks so. 

He stared at Luhan who was seated on his bed. The boy was leaning back with a pillow supporting him while he rubbed his bulging belly and at the sight, Sehun feels something surging throughout his system. He doesn't try to comprehend what it is-- Simply takes it as something comfortable. Something... Beautiful.

In the afternoon when Luhan was done eating and playing with Junmyeon's kids, he waited until the boy went for a nap. By then, Sehun was done thinking things through. He wasn't just going to stay for a week. He was going to stay until Luhan wants him to. He doesn't need words from the boy-- Just by the way he was crying and calling his name last night made him consider it. Maybe Luhan thought he wasn't real last night that the boy didn't really think about looking for him. Sehun wanted Luhan to see that he is here. For their child  _and_  for him.

Sehun didn't know how this thought had taken all the space in his mind. After coming out of the observation room, all he's been thinking of was what to get for Luhan-- If he needed anything, what did he eat most of the time? He figured that he wanted to do something for him, and he is going to do it. But first things first, he had to go home to get his things. He quickly told Junmyeon of his plans and without more time to waste, he drove back home and confronted his father.

"Pa..."

"Sehun? You're back. Where have you been, son?"

"Pa-- I... When you told me..." He breathed in, "When you told me that you liked Luhan's personality--- What did you mean?"

"I meant what I said, son." His father blinked a few times, confused over the bringing up of the said boy's name, "Have you seen Luhan?"

"Pa, you and I know very much about the experiment, right?"

"Did something happen to Luhan, son?"

"He..." He licked his lips, staring at his father, "He's pregnant."

There was a long pause. A long pause that could have dragged longer if he didn't crease his forehead to urge his father for an answer.

"He's pregnant...?"

"He is."

Sehun's father sighed, "I... Son, I-- I'm going to confess something to you. You see, the government said they were going to commercialize the formula for the pregnancy. I wanted to get one for Luhan too-- but seeing how he's pre--"

"I'm the father, Pa. I got him pregnant."

His father stood, mouth hanging and for the first time since the outbreak, he felt his eyes go crescent as he laughed at his father's reaction, "Luhan's pregnant with my grandchild?"

He nods in response, and in a matter of seconds, he gets a hug from his father. Though happiness reigns, Sehun knows he's yet to figure out what he truly feels over this whole ordeal. 

 

Sehun explained to his father that he will have to delay his introduction to work. His father quickly allowed him, knowing that Luhan will need him in this period of his pregnancy-- It turned out that his father was actually planing to set them up together when the formula became public. Sehun realizes that there really wouldn't be a difference if he were able to stop Luhan's disappearance from way back. Packing his things as quick as he could, Sehun told his father to take care of himself and that he will be visiting often. He wanted to disclose to his father of the issue of his treatment towards the boy, but he figured that he had to do that with Luhan himself. Sehun thinks that it was better to confront Luhan about this-- He realizes that he was the one that's been childish all along, pushing Luhan aside as if his feelings weren't evident for him enough.

Before he made his way back to Junmyeon's condo, Sehun made sure to buy a few things not only for Luhan but also for the Kims. One thing was for them taking care of Luhan-- but another thing was getting Luhan a whole new bunch of clothes and stuffed toys. He wanted to shower Luhan with things that would allow him to feel comfortable with, telling himself that this will be the start of him treating the younger boy better.

When he arrived back, carrying most of the stuff in his arms that he wasn't able to see where he was going, Sehun settled them to find a gaping Luhan by the hallway. He'd told Junmyeon that he was coming back and when the man asked him if he had to hide Luhan away so he could fix his things properly, Sehun told him he didn't need to. He was going to talk to Luhan whether he like it or not. Luhan's eyes widened at the sight of him, and as soon as he approached the younger, what with the Kims watching them at the back while the kids were busy looking at the things he'd brought with him, Sehun had to engulf the pregnant male into a imprisoning embrace. Luhan was shivering by the time he had stopped struggling, and ever so slowly, he picked him up and took him to his room-- Luhan only looked at him by the time he sat him down on his bed.

"I..." Luhan began but he only shook his head to tell him that he didn't need to explain. Luhan being a kid at heart didn't understand this and instead, continued with what he wanted to say, "I want to raise my baby, Sehun."

Sehun smiled at him and cautiously took Luhan's hands, "Junmyeon told me everything."

"I-- Aren't you angry... At me?"

"Why would I be, Luhan?" He asks, "If we're going to talk about who should be angry at whom, I would very much accept it if you were angry at me." He whispered, ashamed of himself.

Sehun was caught off-guard when he felt Luhan's other hand place itself on top of his, and he looked up to find the boy shaking his head, "No.. No! I-- I'm not angry at you. Y-you didn't know. I didn't want you to know, Sehun. I thought... I thought it was better if I were gone and I didn't know they'd injected me with the formula--"

Sehun could see the confusion in Luhan's eyes. At such a young age, he had to face everything by himself.  _Pity_. Yet he found himself taking the boy in for an embrace and rubbing his back. Sehun realized that he was holding his breath before he felt Luhan hug him back. Leaning down onto the boy's hair, he takes in Luhan's scent and tells him that he will be there for him from now on.

 

. . .

 

Junmyeon had explained to him how they were going to push Luhan's pregnancy until he goes into labor. He'd time and time again asked if it wasn't going to be risky because by then he became more aware of how male pregnancy would happen. Junmyeon explained that this was how Yixing had been giving birth to their child and so far, nothing went wrong.

During his stay, Sehun learned a lot of things about the Kims. He'd learned of how their experiment was something independent-- Something they did for themselves. Yijun and Jiyun, as Junmyeon had explained to him were almost six years old, while Xingyi, their second after the twins just celebrated his fourth birthday. If he were to sum it up, Junmyeon's already had the formula just a year after the outbreak. They didn't want to let the government know for fear that Yixing would be taken away from him and studied on, but when the government became desperate, he came out with the solution in exchange that they will never harm his family or anyone that will participate in the experiment.

Junmyeon told him that Luhan had been the 2nd person to be injected with the formula-- atleast in Korea-- and reacted right to it. Yixing's husband then shared that his bestfriend, who used to reside in China as well had volunteered to be a subject. He too had gotten married now with a set of twins of his own.

It didn't seem so scary after all, Sehun thought. Despite the short time he's spent with them, there was nothing different to it with how it was in the past-- rather, this way of living had brought them life again. A will to continue. Sehun realizes that there was nothing to hate about this experiment-- For soon it will be for the public too. For everyone.

 

By the third week of Sehun's stay, Luhan had yet again learned to open up to him. Sehun gets an eye-opener that the sobbing child he'd found during the night he arrived has completely grown up. It turned out that Luhan would reduce into a little child when his hormones were taking over, being controlled by his unborn child which was the reason why he couldn't really tell them what he wanted. Thankfully, Sehun had learned of these things from taking care of Luhan himself-- yet most of the time, what the pregnant boy only wanted was for him to be held by the father of his baby.

Sehun was growing more and more fond of Luhan as each day passed. Everyday he would discover new things from the boy, and he would compare it to when he was younger. Luhan had grown mature it seemed. He didn't really rely on Sehun anymore, simply doing things that he knew how to do. Sehun learned that Luhan used to have a job at the nearby library in their area, told him everything with calmness, as if he were taking a stroll in the park and just letting Sehun know what there was to know about him. He notices that this was something he never gave time for when Luhan was around him-- Yet the boy would be there asking him about the things that he wanted to do, things that he liked to do. Sehun thinks that he is coming to like Luhan in this light more and more.

By the 7th month of his pregnancy, Sehun was able to persuade Luhan to sleep with him in the same room. He'd grown a fondness to hugging Luhan, and a habit to always keeping him by his side. From time to time, Sehun would go out and return with new things for Luhan, to which the boy would end up embracing him as a token of gratitude. Sehun's heart would swell at the gesture.

Through time, Sehun had found things in Luhan as a person and not as the child that he grew up taking care of. He was able to strip that image out of the boy and he thinks back, asking how he found Luhan a burden. Luhan wasn't a burden. He never was. He was someone that Sehun was unconsciously tied to by fate, and he sees that now. Luhan was dazzling, he was kind-hearted and very easy to like. Sehun doesn't know why he'd been blind to Luhan's beauty. He was glowing even more to the fact that he is carrying their child.  _Their child._  His plump lips would always catch Sehun's eyes, his button nose and his dazzling eyes. Sehun had secretly wished that his child would be gifted by the Gods and inherit it from Luhan.

Luhan was approaching his 8th month, and Sehun was struggling with his feelings. Feelings that he never knew had actually been hiding deep inside him, and that they were all directed to Luhan. How could he have been so stupid to only realize this now? Luhan is special to him-- He's important, and that was solely the reason why he never had the guts to tell the boy updront that he didn't want him around.  _Because he actually wanted him around..._ Sehun realizes that him looking for Luhan wasn't out of guilt. It wasn't out of pity that he's here. It was his heart that led him here.

At the middle of the night, Sehun gets a nudging to his side. He quickly jumps awake, worried that something wrong was happening to the male beside him.

"What's wrong?" He asks as soon as he gets himself sitting straight. Luhan was looking at him, cautiously and this washes away all the sleep from his system, "Lu? What's wrong?" Sehun could see how Luhan's expression didn't change from the illuminating light by the nightstand. He catches the younger's face and pulls him closer to inspect him, "Are you feeling pain anywhere?"

Luhan shakes his head in response and Sehun reluctantly lets go when the boy's hands gently peeled his own away from his face. Sehun watched patiently of how Luhan cautiously bent down to reach something from the nightstand. He is given the surprise of his life when Luhan hands him a photo  album. It was decorated cutely, with small ribbons and booties drawn beautifully at the side. In it was written,  _my little star_. Sehun's eyes rose up to find Luhan's waiting gaze at him, and he is quietly urged by the younger to look at it, and he does.

The first page consisted of a polaroid photo of Luhan himself. His cheeks were still sunken in the photo and he realizes that this was the time before Junmyeon took him away. Luhan was barely smiling in the shot. He turns the light of the lamp by his side and he finds the caption that is written messily,  _'they said i'm pregnant... i don't know what to believe.'_

The next page had a photo of Luhan along with Junmyeon's kids.  _'Junmyeon and Yixing's sons. They took us in for the meantime, little star.'_ The nickname has Sehun smiling and he turns to look at Luhan, "Little star...?"

He gets a nod from Luhan and the boy murmurs, "Impossible to reach, but I still received..."

Sehun proceeded to the next few pages, and there he learned of both the difficulties and joys of Luhan's pregnancy. He never truly understood why women kept baby diaries like this until now. Sehun thanks the younger boy for letting him see it. By the time he reached the last page that had a polaroid photo, Sehun is lost for words as the polaroid stuck on it was him carrying one of the stuffed toys that he'd brought Luhan from the giftshop. His heart stopped, and he looked at Luhan who was already showing a tint of red on his cheeks. When he finally looks at the caption, Sehun throws the diary at the side and grabs hold of the younger male, embracing him gingerly.

"S-Sehun..." Luhan whimpers and the boy's hands are clutching onto his arms that is wrapped around him.

He tries to stop himself from smiling, biting his lips to maintain a straight line, but the happiness is just too much for him that he lets himself bask in the new discovery, "Say it. I want to hear it from you." A hesitant whimper comes out of the pregnant male and Sehun thinks of a way to make him say it out loud. "If you say it, I'll tell you a secret."

"I... " Luhan hesitates another time. Sehun turns him around now and he looks at him in the eyes,

"Then let me tell you this first, Lu..." Luhan shakes his head and he opens his mouth, but the boy blocks his ears with both hands. Gently he pried the boy's hands away from his sides and he gets out an apologetic smile, "I've been a bad person to you."

"N-no--"

He hushes the boy and holds him by the nape of his neck, pulling him close, "I have. I ignored you, and I saw you as a burden... But you aren't. You never were, Luhan. I'm sorry for making you think that I only saw you for those things."

"It was right that you saw me as a burden. I was always in your way, always ruining things for you... Yet you're still here with me and I'm just--"

"No, you don't understand." He takes Luhan's hand and places it against his chest. Sehun keeps in mind of the words written into the photo album from earlier. He doesn't want to ruin this. "You've earned your own spot in here, Luhan." He explains, "when you were gone, I realized that things were gloomier, and there wasn't anything I would look forward to. You weren't there to talk to me, nor were you there to ask me to do things with you--- And I just... I just realize now of how stupid I was for--for touching you that night when I wasn't in the right mind. I even kicked you out of the house and-- God! How stupid was I that--"

"I like you." Luhan cuts in, and his mouth hung slightly open, "Yet I still like you."

He nods a little too fast for his liking, but it's okay. This time he holds the younger by the nape of his neck and presses his forehead against Luhan, "Please say it again..."

"I like you, Sehun."

"Luhan... Luhan."  _I like you too._

 

_. . ._

 

That specific night changed a lot between them. While Luhan had to get used to always being carried around and scolded by Sehun for carrying things, he realized that the changes within the older male was something for him. Junmyeon had opened up about how they knew each other-- About how Sehun had called that day, demanding for him to be returned at once.

Luhan had tried to insist that Sehun was only doing this because he was his responsibility, but when his birthday came, Sehun proved to him that he has changed-- That his feelings were true to him.

Sehun came upto him that day, carrying a small cake while Junmyeon and his family went out to give them some privacy. Luhan didn't really believe it at first, but the way everything was set in place, all neatly prepared just for him, Luhan was choked by the happy feeling that he bursted into tears, asking why Sehun did all of it.

That was when the man finally returned the words that he uttered to him. Sehun told him, loud and clear that he cares for him. That he had changed a lot in Sehun, made him see things that he never saw before. Sehun confessed to him that he may have been feeling indifferent towards him from the beginning but that was because he was stuck on the image of how he was when he was younger. Sehun had told him that it was different now, that they're different now...

 

They'd decided to officially date then-- Though dating would be an understatement seeing the round and kicking ball of fluff that was ready to pop out of him. Luhan and Sehun would spend the day either eating or cuddling in bed, talking about their future plans for their little star.

"We're going to get our own house once little star is born."

"We?" Luhan asked, a little elated by the latter's suggestion.

"Yes, we. What, did you think you're going to live alone in your place again...?"

"But what will happen to your old house then? What about uncle?"

"If you want we can ask him to move in with us, that's if you want to."

"Of course-- Your dad took me in when my parents died!" 

Smiling, Luhan feels Sehun plant a kiss onto his forehead,  he takes it that Sehun is agreeing with what he wants. "I'll tell you what," Luhan looked up to him with a curious look, "If you don't want to move away... We can have both houses renovated. I recently bought the deed to your house, and dad gave me the deed to ours. I suddenly had the idea of connecting the two so we could expand it--Of course, that's if you're oka--"

A peck on the lips was all it took for him to get the answer through, "Y-yes! Please." Luhan utters and sinks back into a cocoon.

Though the government had finally made the fomula public, others were still not used to the image of other men being pregnant. It was a fresh image that wasn't completely accepted just yet. But nevertheless, it didn't stop them from visiting Sehun's father.

 

Luhan had once been scared of Sehun's father-- He doesn't know why but it started when Sehun had opened up to him that he already told him about his pregnancy-- He concluded that Sehun's father probably didn't like the idea of it.

"... Pa? We're here. I brought Luhan along."

Luhan was in for the surprise of his life when Mr. Oh wheeled in a baby's crib, sat beautifully with laces and plush toys. He started a crying fit, startling Sehun's father but was later settled with him hugging the older man. Luhan thinks that that was the most embarassing event of his life ever since his pregnancy.

"Luhan, my child-- You've changed a lot!" The older man greeted him with eyes crescent, "I'm so happy for you and Sehun, thank goodness my prayers were answered I-- I hope you have a safe delivery, my child."

"Thank you, uncle--"

"Why are you calling me uncle? Call me Father too, since it's only a matter of time until you and Sehun marry--"

"Pa," Luhan heard from behind him, and he doesn't know why but there was a prick in his heart that slightly tore him by the tone that the older man used.

"I'm just telling the truth, son!"

"Pa, don't pressure Luhan. We just got together, okay?"

The rest of the evening was spent in the dining table, Sehun's father hosting the get-together and feeding them until it was time to go... 

 

By the time he and Sehun reached home, they were helping each other get out of their clothes for a more comfortable one. Sehun had learned to help him changed into his loose dress shirts, giving him extra layers because he was sensitive to the chilly weather.

"Sehun...?" Luhan called the latter. He remembers that it's the time of the month where he documents something for his baby's diary, and this time he wanted to have Sehun participate in it. Luhan receives a hum in response, and as quick as opportunity introduced itself, he grabbed his small treasure chest from under the bed and got out his polaroid camera.

A smile crept out of the latter's face and Luhan places himself in bed, patting the space next to him. Sehun takes his place and wraps an arm around him, and he struggles to take a picture. He hears Sehun chuckle beside him and he frowns at the man. Holding onto his gadget, Sehun offers to take the picture.

"Here, let me. You have short arms, Lu." Sehun teases,

"Your arms are just so long, okay-- Don't blame me."

Words die down as soon as Sehun places the camera towards and counts down from three. The camera flashes and soon the polaroid comes out. Sehun helps him by grabbing the photo album from under the bed, dusting it off and then flipping it to the next available page. Sehun takes note that there are three more pages left.

Carefully, Luhan slips the polaroid in. He ushers the older male to turn the lights on and he scrambles to his nightstand, getting out the pen that he uses to write with. Luhan purses his lips back, and quickly he scribbles down the words andshuts the album to a close. Sehun is standing by his side, looking at him accusingly. 

"Go to bed, OhSeSe."

"Let me see what you wrote." The male demands pouting.

Luhan likes it when Sehun acts this way-- Something he's never seen out of the man. But he wasn't going to budge. He'll have to wait until he has to put the next polaroid in.

 

. . .

 

Sehun had volunteered to do laundry. Surprisingly. Junmyeon and his family had been great company ever since he took up a room here and sometimes he would express his gratitude through little tasks-- other times he woul bring them things as well when he would shop for Luhan. They'd learned to be families, what with Sehun coming into the understanding of this new life they are leading. He and Junmyeon leaned on each other at times when their hormone-driven partners would team up and demand the impossible. 

Sehun was lost in happy thoughts, over all the things that's happened ever since he took the chance to be with Luhan. He realizes that life offered him a whole lot of things that he never knew were for him to take. If his curiosity hadn't driven him to peek out his window, Sehun wonders what he would have been doing now-- If he just brushed off Luhan's leaving back then... He was just finished hanging the clothes up to dry when it happened-- A loud shriek coming from his bedroom cut him out of his thoughts, Junmyeon, Yixing and the kids came to help them.

Luhan was struggling in tears, telling him that he was in pain and that was when Junmyeon called for it-- He was going to labor. It was finally time. Instead of going to the hospital, which was, by far still oblivious to the male pregnancy, they drove to Junmyeon's office where he said had the necessary things to operate on Luhan. He was going to give birth via c-section as this is the only possible way to.

Once they got Luhan settled, what with some of Junmyeon's workers assisting him, Sehun was left at the waiting room with Yixing. He doesn't know why but there was a mix of happiness and uneasiness in him-- Luhan had been crying a whole lot, and the image of the younger clutching onto him because of the pain kept repeating onto his head.

"It's going to be okay, Sehun..."

"I know, but I can't hep but worry." He takes a deep breath, "I-is it going to take long...?"

"Yes. It will be longer because they're being very careful with the operation. You should go back home and get the things that you will need, extra clothes for Luhan and yourself because you will both need it."

There is a shaky breath out of him as he stands up and it is then that Sehun realizes that his knees have gone wobbly, his guts drowning with worry as he thinks about Luhan inside the operating room... He asks of Yixing to stay and call him if anything happens, and gets a nod in return. Hurriedly, he heads to the parking lot of t he facility and drives back home, the first things to pack right off his head were Luhan's polaroid camera and his photo album.

 

Sehun doesn't know why... But there was that itching feeling in his gut that worried more and more for the younger. Sehun had to stop driving to calm his nerves only to find himself gulping down the worry as he stared to the side to find a sign that told him it was definitely time. Getting out of his car, Sehun heads into the shop-- and gets what he needs. Once he was done, he heads back quicky into the car and gets out Luhan's polaroid camera. he unwraps the small box and takes a shot of the item, grabbing the photo album and sticking it there. Sehun tells himself that this will be the start of a new life for the both of them.

It was a little past 2 when he got back to the facility. Stuck in a traffic jam, Sehun had no other way to go through. Once he was done parking his car, he ran up to the emergency stairs, not giving a care for the elevator as he knew it would be pretty much occupied. When he arrived, his breath was heaving, and he is unable to read the atmosphere that lingered. On his hand was the only thing that he could offer to Luhan, his love, his forever. He was clutching onto the box that he would soon offer to the younger once he comes out of the operating room. Sehun stands up straight, picking up his head and he feels every hair in his body standing as he finds Yixing's bloodshot face, directly staring at him in pity. There is a blocking in his ears that made him disabled from hearing the latter's words-- yet his eyes didn't leave the male's lips.

_'Luhan...'_

And he takes a deep breath and everything comes back to normal, Sehun hears the shattering of his heart as he finally hears it clearly, "Luhan's gone..."

His head rejects the idea. He shakes his head in denial, and the sounds of Yixing's cries return, "He went on flatline, Sehun-- Sehun, he was gone as soon as he heard your daughter cry."

And there, the tears fall. Sehun's eyes remained staring at the operating room-- the urge to kick the door open and demand for Luhan. Sehun falls to his knees, his hand abruptly letting go of the red box that he'd earlier brought and he weeps.

 

Sehun doesn't look for Luhan. He stays on the floor seated as he stares at the ring he had bought a few hours ago. A long intake of breath, and he releases it, tears coming down from his eyes.

A set of footsteps approaches him, white slacks and Sehun finds Junmyeon kneeling down to him. Sehun tells himself that it isn't the end. Sehun's life has just started and he sees that by the bundled up baby that is slowly being handed to him. The living proof that he and Luhan happened... His little star. Their little star.

Sehun holds the precious child in his arms, and he wipes his tears away. He gulps down the misery as he looks at her, how her eyes glitter just the way Luhan's do...

"What will you name her...?"

"Hanbyul." Sehun utters without another thought. Luhan and Sehun's little star-- "Oh Hanbyul."

 

 

 

It may have been a little too soon to decide. It was too soon as it had only been five months since the death of Luhan. But Sehun still pushed through. He wanted to leave the country for a while, bringing his little girl with him. Sehun had decided this ever since he had mourned the death of Luhan. Life was never the same anymore.

Sehun had expressed over and over how thankful he was for having Junmyeon and Yixing with them. If not for them he probably would have never discovered how things were for him-- He probably would have drifted away from Luhan. But still, his everything had been taken away far too early to his liking. He didn't tell them that he planned on leaving the country for the time being. He had worried, worried too much because he wasn't sure whether or not staying in the same house which reminded him of Luhan would bring him to deterioration or give him the will to continue. He had to stay away for the sake of their daughter...

Sehun had told his father of this, and despite knowing that it wasn't the best option, he took it anyways.

 

His father decided to see him off to the airport then, and he accepted. In his arms were his beautiful little Hanbyul, cooing at everything she did. She became Sehun's world next to his beloved. Sehun had worn the ring he planne to give to Luhan. He never took it off from his pinky-finger-- as it was a lifetime promise that he was more than willing to commit to the younger... 

"Are you sure about this son?"

He lets out a deep sigh as he nods, "We'll need it, Pa. I'll need it."  _I need it the most._ Sehun hands little Hanbyul to his father, loading his luggages into the car, and once he was settled, they got in and drove away.

_Their home phone rang, and proceeded to voicemail, 'This is the Oh household. As we are unable to attend to you, please leave a message after the beep and we will make sure to call you back, thank you.'_

Sehun is driving, the windows down as he lets the sun shine on him. He remembers the early days when worries like these didn't exist-- Worries that pricked his heart and remained there-- instead worries over a very naughty and spoiled brat named Luhan.

_'S-Sehun... This is Junmyeon, did you see the news? Please call us back as soon as you get this message. We have to talk...'_

Stopping for the redlight, Sehun looks to his side, his father seated beside him while he cradles Hanbyul. The little girl is staring at him as he smiled at her.

_'They-- The Government tried to take Luhan away, Sehun... They wanted to take his body away when we pronounced him dead, but...'_

 

 

[ 1 year later ]

 

The renovation to their home was finally done. Sehun's heart remained halved with his lover, while he was slowly being completed by their star. Hanbyul had celebrated her 1st birthday abroad, and she's learned to walk and utter different words. Sehun made sure that her first word was still Mama-- a word that he will forever reserve for the boy that gave him the joy of his life.

After they were done unpacking and settling things back to where they were, Sehun had come to notice that there had been people that have moved in just across their home. A small cafe had also opened, and he takes note to go there once...

His father had been cautious around him it seems, Sehun still notices that the old man hasn't gotten over Luhan's death just like he hasn't. As much as he wanted to keep brooding over it, Sehun knew Luhan wouldn't want that for him. Nor their daughter. He had to live for Hanbyul.

 

At 9 in the evening, Sehun's father asks him to go to the cafe across their home. He takes up the offer as soon as he was done putting Hanbyul to sleep.

The door rings to the cafe, and he is greeted by two men. The other one was carrying a tray,  his white suit all neat and fixed, "Welcome."

Another one leads them to a seat, deeming it be 9 in the evening, he isn't surprised that there were no more other customers. The male stands at attention by their side, letting out a smile that turned his eyes to crescent, "What can we get you?"

"Coffee of the day, please." Sehun tells upfront.

"Right away."

Sehun lets out a sigh, inspecting the interior of the place and at the corner of the cafe was where he notices a pair of eyes looking at him. Sehun blinks in curiosity.

"Daeseok! I told you to go upstairs!" Sehun slightly jumps, startled by the scolding from the male that welcomed them.

"But Papa! We're not sleepy yet!" The boy whined, and not later, another head popped out of the side, a boy almost the same age as Hanbyul walking behind the one named Daeseok. The little boy was holding onto the older's shirt, so as not to fall down. Sehun smles to this, his attention taken in by the two little kids when a hand comes straining his view.

"Here's your order, sir."

Sehun goes blind, thoughts trying to process the voice that had just spoken beside him. He swallows twice, deep ones until he allows his lips to part, not wanting to look up and be disappointed by what he'll see. Yet the way Sehun's father is looking at him gingerly tells him that this was still reality.

A hand touches him and Sehun feels alive. He feels the will to turn and there--

 

Luhan.

His world. Standing before him.

 


End file.
